Traveling stairway.



No. 739,141- PATENTED SEPT. 15 1903. E. BALTZLEY.

TRAVELING STAIRWAY.

APPLICATION rum) APR. 10, 1903. no MODEL. 5 sums-sum PATBNTED SEPT. 15, 1903.

E. BALTZLEY. TRAVELING STAIRWAY. APPLIOATIOiI FILED APR. '10, 1903.

5 sinus-slum 2@ H0 MODEL.

W alkuu up PATENTED SEPT. 15, 1903.

E. BALTZLEY.

TRAVELING STAIRWAY.

APILIOATION FILED APR. 10, 1903.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

H0 MODEL.

5 51001 tot n1: Monms PETER! co. VNOTO-LIYHQ. WASHINGTON. 0v 4:.

v No. 739,141. 'PATENTED SEPT. 15, 1903.-

I E. BALTZLEY.

- TRAVELING STAIRWAY.

urucumn FILED APR. 10, 1903. no MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

31 1 we, fox

lfmltzs r PATENTBD SEPT. 15,1903.

' E. BALTZLBY. v

TRAVELING STAIRWAY.

APPLICATION rum) APR. 10, 1903.

5 SHEETS-453E! a.

PETERS coy. PNOTO-LITNQ, WASHINGYON n c i iaveai ri;

NI ED STATES fatented September 15, 1903 PATENT OFFIcE.

TRAVELlNGi STAIRWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 739,141, dated September 15, 1903.'

Application filed April 10, 1903. Serial No. 162,075. No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, EDWIN BALTZLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glen Echo, in the county of Montgomery and State of Maryland, have invented certain new'and useful Improvements in Traveling Stairways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in revolving Stairways, which hereinafter I will style a stairvator, designed to move passengers f rom one elevation to another with speed, comfort, and safety.

It consists of means for picking up, carry-.

ing up or down, and gently and safely depositing passengers on a stationary grated land-. ing, from whence they can move ofi forwardly in a natural manner without any confusing imparted motion. 7

It also consists of the construction in which the tread-surface of the grated steps rises above the tread-surface of the grated landing. before the said step enters the landing andthereafter enters it and travels forward until the tread-surface is entirely over the landing, then deposits the passengers thereon by descending as nearly vertically as practicable, and disappears beneath the grated landing.

It further consists in preserving the treadsurface of the step horizontal while above the landing and carrying the step a distance of more than the depth of one step from the top or bottom of the stairway before depositing the passenger.

It further consists of reducing the horizontal speed of the step on the landings below the belt speed at the instant of depositing the passenger on the landing.

It also consists of the continuous grated floor extending between the upper and lower landings and so related to the unloading cam-' ways and landings as to permit the steps at the landings to separate a short distance without detriment.

It further consists of the relation of the unloading tracks or camways to the ascending tracks or camways, which preserve the steps horizontal above the landings.

It'further consists of a double camway, which constitutes the tracks which carry the steps or stairs in their various evolutions, the

said camways being located outside of the -ing dirt through them.

vertical plane of the step It also consists of other new and novel fea-" tures, which will befully hereinafter dee scribed and claimed.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also'to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to s and away from fall be had to the following description and draw* ings hereto attached.

In the drawings'ar'e a number of modifica tions of my invention, in all of which are shown the reduction of the horizontal speed 'of the steps on the landings below the belt speed and the construction in which the treadsurface of the steps rises above the tread-surface of the upper landing before entering it and thereafter traveling forward till the treadsurface is entirely over the landing before descending and depositing the passengers onto the landing. The tilting step over a horizon- 'tal landing will be the subject of another ap 'plication for patent, and the inclined land- 'ings and inclined steps, as shown, will be the subject of another. The horizontal step over an'inclined landing and the traveling hand= rail will be another.

While the essential and characteristic featu res of the invention are susceptible of other modifications, still the preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the upper portion of my traveling stairway, showing an inclined step and an inclined landing as one of the modifications. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a stairway embodying the invention, showing horizontal steps over inclined landings as another modification. elevation of the framing or supporting side, showing the double camway or tracks contained in Figs. 7 and 8 in which the journals and cam-rollers travel (the endless flight of steps being omitted) and the loading and unloading camways. Fig. 4 is adet-ail perspective view of a link. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the landings and intermediate grating, the bars of which alternate with the spaced grooves or longitudinal slots of the steps, and also shows the set-screws for ad- Fig. 3 is an justing the landings up or, down to compensate for wear. Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing horizontal landings and horizontal steps and also the tread-surface of a step having risen above the tread-surface of the landing before entering the landing. It also shows the step carried away from the top and-foot ot' the stairway a distance of more than one step, also a side elevation of the hand-rail attached to two of the steps. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the tilting step over the horizontal landing and is a construction in which the forward side of the steps is journaled to the endless chain or belt, while the rearward side is free to move to and from the belt in accordance with the guidance of the camways. In all the former figures the rearward side is journaled to the belt. Fig. Sis a side elevation of the same construction as Fig. 7, except that it shows inclined landings. Fig. 9 is a detailed section of a step of preferred construction, showing the interleaving segments of the step. Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of an interleaving segment located intermediate of the ends of the step. Fig. 11 is a detail perspective view of an interleaving segment taken apart and disposed in a group. It also shows the journal-bearings of the segments which constitute the ends of the step. Fig. 12 is a longitudinal section of traveling steps and framework or support therefor, showing the double cam wayoutside the vertical plane of the steps. It also shows the hand-rail attached to the end segment of the steps. Fig. 13 is an elevation showing the camways and side support for a descending stairway in which the landingsteps are carried in a horizontal position a distance away from the top and the foot of the descending steps. Fig. 14 is a detail view of a modified form of a grated landing. Fig. 15 is a cross-section of the bars composing the stationary landing, showing the treadpieces inserted therein. Fig. 16 is a vertical section of a step, showing the rear journals rigid to the ends of the step and cut away between them.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

My traveling stairway is of the type having stationary gratings for landings and moving steps also grated and so related to each other that the bars or interleaving segments of the grated steps interleave with the grated landings in ascending and descending and deposit the passengers on the landings and then descend through and beneath the grated landlugs.

In the type of moving stairway dominant in practice the landing is a moving platform extending from eight to fourteen feet from the stairway proper. This platform has a greater horizontal speed, which is the danger speed, than that of the flight of steps on the elevating incline. Landing from this moving platform is effected by stepping off from one of its sides on to the stationary floor at approximately right angles to the direction of motion. At the forward end of the moving platform is a shunter, which is in the nature of a stationary cow-catcher. The moving platform disappears under this shunter. Should the passenger fail to get off the platform, he is carried against the shunter and is shunted off to the floor, providing his legs do not get astride the cow-catcher. To provide against accidents, a capable man is kept constantly on guard to assist passengers to get 0E and to prevent them from being carried against the shunter. The moving platform is necessarily made noiseless and level with the floor, and therefore its motion is not readily detected. As a consequence the space between the head of the stairway and the shunter is a danger zone, for to unconsciously step from a stationary floor onto a moving platform is dangerous, and as this space is a natural highway between the two sides of the room in which it is located the chance of accident is multiplied. The getting-on landing of this type of machine is also a moving platform, which breaks into steps about eight feet from the stationary floor. The passenger steps onto this platform while it is moving away from him at the maximum horizontal speed. He must be careful not to station .his feet partly on one step and partly on the next one to it, for when they begin to break into steps there is dangerot being thrown. All of these defects I avoid.

The essential element of my invention is embodied in a construction by which agrated step of an endless chain of steps rises through a grated landing as nearly vertical as practicable and picks up the passenger and.car-

ries him up theelevated incline to a grated landing at the top of the stairway, where the tread-surface of the step rises above the treadsurface of the landing before entering the Isaid landing and then advances, carrying the passenger above and entirely over the landing to the desired landing-point, and there deposits him on the stationary landing at a slowed-down'horizontal speed by dropping the step on a line of descent as nearly vertical as practicable. It is obvious that if the tread-surface of the step entered the landing below the tread-surface of the landing the passenger would be swept off the step by it. The tread might enter below the tread of the landing a distance of a few inches and then rise above it; but it would be at the expense of safety, for if the passenger stood on the forward part of the stop he would be swept back by the landing till the step rose above it; but by rising above before entering the landing the passenger, free from all danger, shock, or confusing imparted motion, is gently thereafter deposited upon the stationary landing and without thought or V0- lition on his part. From this landed position be naturally steps forward andaway from the stairway.

The reduction of the horizontal speed of the steps on the landings below the belt speed is effected by changing the direction of the moving steps from the horizontal to as nearly vertical as practicable. This divides the belt speed between the horizontal and vertical. If two lines be drawn at right angles to each other, it will be seen that a car traveling up the vertical line could have no horizontal movement, and, vice versa,.a'

car traveling along the horizontal line could have no vertical movement; but on a line drawn diagonally between them at an angle of forty-five degrees a car would have both vertical and horizontal movement, and these directions would divide the speed between them, so that a platform moving at a speed of one mile an hour in a horizontal direction will have its horizontal speed cut down when it begins to climb'up an incline of forty-five degrees. The rate of horizontal speed determines the degree of shock and danger of getting on and 0d a moving car to a stationary landing.

I relate the sprocket-wheels to the landings, as shown in Fig.8, so as to give as much vertical movement to the ascending or de-- scending step at the instant of taking on the passenger or landing him as is necessary to divide the speed properly between the two directions.

By the relation of the sprocketwheel to-the landings I can proportionthe" speed greater or less to either the vertical or horizontal direction, as may be desired. To give it greater horizontal speed, it is only necessary to journal the sprocket-wheel a distance beyond the landing. The sprocketwheel 2, Fig. 8, is directly under the landing and carries the step 33 to or from the landing '23, so that at the instant its tread-surface is passing through the grated landing its vertical speed is greater than its horizontal. The sprocket-wheels in Figs. 7 and 8 are directly under the step descending through the landing. That in Fig. 1 is farther forward and causes the step to descend through the landing at a greater horizontal speed.

In Figs. 6 and 13 I show horizontal landings and steps which preserve their treadsurfaces horizontal on the elevating incline and both the landings. the special subject-matter of this application.

It is true that it- 'is common practice to preserve the tread-surfaces of the steps horizontal throughout their entire service period; but the method of landing the passenger has been by sliding him from a horizontal step onto a landing very slightly inclining to the step. The free end of the interleaving bars of this landing is slightly below the treadsnrface of the step, while the rest of their length is slightly above the tread-surface of the step. By this construction the toe of the assen er first en a es the landin and the b b g b) This construction is" 'foot thereafter is driven onto the landing by the traction of the heel on the advancing step.

In my construction I cause the tread-surface of the step to rise above the tread-surface of the landing, as hereinbefore stated, before the step enters lthelanding, and carry the step above and clear of the landing to the point where the passenger is to be landed and then draw the step down through the grated landing as nearly vertically as practicable, thereby depositing the passenger onto the horizontal landing without friction of previous contact of the feet with the landing.

The stairway, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 6, is composed of steps6, journaled at their rearward or long side to links 3, which form an endless chain mounted on the sprocket-wheels 1 and 2, which are jonrnaled in the framework or side supports 15, between which the flight of steps operate. One-or both of the sprocketwheels may be driving-wheels connected to themotive power by any suitable means. the drawings, Figs. 1 and 6, I make only the upper wheel the driver. The sprocket-pins 7 engage in the sprocket-holes 8 in the links 3 of the endless chain and drive the chain positively. In reversing the movement of the steps for carrying passengers downstairs the sprocket-pins 7 engage in the mortise 37, Fig. 4E, and positively drive the chain in the opposite direction. Thesteps 6 are journaled to the links of the endless chain by the axles at. The link 3 has a'depression 5 to permit a greater degree of movement of the free end of the step. A double camway or track 16, 17, 18, 20, and 21, Figs 3, l1, and 13, is constructed in the framing or side supports 15. These tracks are placed outside-the vertical plane of the steps, as shown in Fig. 12, and one of them, 30, Fig. 12, is within and farther inward than its companion track or camway 20. The, outer camway 20 is wider than the inner one 30. They coincide with each other on the elevating-incline, as indicated at 18. At 4, Fig. 13, the companion camway 20, in order to preserve the tread-surface of the step horizontal, leaves the path of the narrower camway3O and proceeds on a divergent line to point 31, where it leaves that line for the purpose of drawing the step down and bewiden the outer camway 20, so as to free it from any chance of friction, and rely on the Wheel 1 to perform thefunction of guiding the chain in, its flightback .to the lower landing; but Iprefer the camways to be con-v tinuous to control the steps throughout. their.

flight in their orbit... The inne rcamway 30,

however, I may preserve at its proper width and depth throughout its whole course for the purpose of preventing the axle 4, which is larger in diameter and travels in the camway 20, from getting into the camway 30. This, however, is not necessary if the journals and cam-rollers which travel in camway 20 are fastened in any well-known manner to keep their proper relative position. In this event the camways can wholly be dispensed with around the sprocket-wheels after leaving the landing or unloading-camways.

When it is desired to make the lower landing on the downward flight some distance forward from the descending steps, the path of the companion camways diverge, as shown at 21, Figs. 6 and 13. By this construction the passenger is carried away from the stairway and out of the path of the next descending step. The axles 4t and 13, Fig. 13, have cam-rollers to reduce the friction to the minimum. The cam-rollers on axle 4 are larger than those on axle 13. The axle 13 is longer than axle 4 for the purpose of carrying the smaller cam roller in the deeper camwa 30. \Vhile the axle journals the steps to the links 3 of the endless chain, the axle 13 is free from the chain and permits the forward side of the step to change its relative position to the chain to hold the tread-surface of the step horizontal in the act of landing or depositing the passenger on the grated landing. I prefer to connect the upper and lower landings by an extension of the grating-bars, as shown in Fig. 5. This forms a grating floor in any event where the steps in turning on an angle leave a space between them, as happens at 34, Figs. 2, 6, and 8. I also make this grating adjustable, so that it can be bodily moved up or down to adjust it to any desired height to compensate for wear. The preferable maximum elevation of a step above a landing before landing the passenger is about one-eighth of an inch. \Vhen this is reduced by wear of the landing over that of the steps, then it can be made up by adjusting the set-screws 35 and 36, thereby raising the landing higher or sinking it lower, as may be desired.

I do not confine myself to the means shown in Fig. 5 for compensating for wear of the landings, for it is obvious that I can employ a cam pivoted eccentrically under and up against the landing, the cam having rigidly attached thereto a lever, which when raised or lowered will raise or lower the landing. The lever may have a rack near its outer end to which the lever can be securely locked to any desired elevation. The cam has bearing portions spaced apart, or the bearing may be continuous the entire width of the landing.

Figs. 14: and 15 show hollow bars, which compose the grated landing. The gratingbars may be made solid; but I prefer to make them hollow and insert suitable tread-pieces to be removed at will.

Figs. 9, 10, and 11 show the preferred form of construction of the grated steps. The interleaving-segments are spaced apart by the spacing-bars 27, Figs 9 and 10, and they are all bound together by the tie-rods 10, Fig. 9. The interleaving-segments are preferably made of sheet metal stamped up in shallow box form, as shown in Fig. 11, to be closed and riveted together. The rib 25 may be stamped or crimped into the sides of the segment to form a bed on which to rest a cushion made of rubber or other desirable material. Another rib 24 is stamped in the metal, but is not so deep, and is to bite into the rubber and hold it in place after being forced in.

To provide against any possible danger'of an advancing step striking the heel of a passenger after he has landed and failed to get off the grated landing, I bevel the forward or advancing edge of the step, beginning about one-eighth of an inch deep and tapering out to nothing six inches back. This would pass under the heel of the passenger and wedge up the foot, to be dropped back again when the step disappears below the grating.

In order to guard against accident due to breakinga link of the chain, I preferably employ two or more chains disposed at proper distances apart. Each chain has its own sprocket-wheels. While it is possible for one link of a chain to break, it is not probable that the links of two or more chains will break at the same'time.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is ICO 1. In a stairvator, or traveling stairway,

having a framework, grated landings, an endless flight of grated steps, and means to operate the same, the tread-surface of the steps to rise above all of the tread-surface of the grated landing before entering said landing substantially for the purpose set forth.

2. In a stairvator having a framework, grated landings, an endless flight of grated steps, and means to operate the same, the tread-surface of the steps to rise above and travel forwardly over the grated landing and then to descend to and through the grated landing, and deposit the passengers thereon, substantially for the purpose set forth.

3. In a stairvator havinga framework, horizontal grated landings, an endless flight of grated steps and means to operate the same, the means to cause the tread-surface of a step to rise above the tread-surface of the grated landing, before entering it, and then to enter to the full depth of the step and deposit the passenger on the landing by descending as nearly vertically as practicable, having preserved its tread-surface substantially horizontal, for the purpose set forth.

4. In a stairvator having a framework, grated landings, an endless flight of grated steps journaled at their rearward side to the links of an endless chain, means for drawing the step down through and beneath the grated landing, substantially for the purpose set forth.

5. In a stairvator having a framework,

grated landings, an endless flight of grated steps, journaled at one of their sides to the links of an endless chain, the inclined camways or tracks having the unloading camways or tracks to draw the free side of the step down to the unloading position, and

thence through and beneath the grated landing, substantially for the purpose set forth.

(5. In a stairvator having a framework, grated landings, an endless flight of grated steps, inclined tracks or camways having unloading portions divergent therefrom, means which reduce the horizontal speed of a step at the landings below the belt speed, so as to reduce the momentum of the passenger, substantially for the purpose set forth.

7. In a stairvator having a framework, grated landings, an endless flight of grated steps, and means to operate the same, the inclined tracks or camways having unloading tracks or camways divergent therefrom, and at such approximately vertical angle as to reduce the horizontal speed of the step at the instant of unloading to the practical minimum, substantially for the purpose set forth.

8. In a stairvator having a framework,

grated landings, an endless flight of grated steps, and means for operating the same, the inclined tracks or camways having unloading-tracks or camways divergent therefrom, the steps to rise through the taking-on landings a distance of more than the depth of one step from the top or foot of the stairway with 10. In a stairvator having a framework,-

grated landings, and an endless flight of grated steps with means to operate the same, said steps being journaled to the links of an endless chain, the double'camway, one way of which is wider than the other, and the latter camway being located within and farther inward than the former, substantially for the purpose set forth.

11. In a stairvatorhavinga framework, and

an endless flight of steps mounted therein, the steps being journaled to an endless chain, the journals of which travel in the double camway, said camway being located outside of the vertical plane of the moving flight of steps, substantially as and for the purpose described.

12. In a stairvator having a framework,

grated landings, and an endless flight of grated steps, the steps being j ournaled to the links of an endless chain, said journals trav- .eling in the double cainway, said double cam-' Way being composed of the incline-ascending portion, and the landing portions, the

two divisions of said landing portions being divergent from each other, substantially fo the purpose set forth. 7

13. In a stairvator having a framework, landings and an endless flight of steps; said steps being journ aled at one of their sides to the links of an endless chain, the double camway, one way of which is wider than the other, and the latter camway being located within and farther inward than the former, said camway being continuous or endless to control the steps throughout their flight, substantially-for the purpose set forth.

14. In a stairvator having a framework, a driving mechanism, grated landings, an endless flight of grated steps, camways or tracks composed of inclined elevating portions, and landing portions divergent therefrom, the

continuous grating extending from the lower to the upper landing, substantially for the purpose described.

15. In a stairvator having a framework, grated landings, an endless flight of grated steps, and means for operating the same, the grated landings provided with take-ups to compensate for wear, substantially for the purpose set forth.

16. In a stairvator having a framework, grated landings, an endless flight of grated steps, mounted therein, and means for operating the same; the steps being journaled at one of their sides to the links of an endless chain, the said links having the two mortises in which the sprockets engage for driving the chain in either direction, substantially for the purpose set forth.

17. In a stairvator having a framework, grated landings, an endless flight of grated steps mounted therein, and means for operating the same; the steps being ,iournaled at one of their sides to the links of an endless chain, the said links being recessed to fit over the other journal, substantially for the purpose set forth.

18. In a' stairvator having a framework, grated landings, an endless flight of grated steps, and means for operating the same, said steps having the forward portion of the tread beveled, substantially for the purpose set forth. V

19. In a stairvator having a framework, gratedlandings, an endless flight of steps, and means of operating the same, the grated steps being composed of segments, spaced apart, thereby providing longitudinal grooves between them in the direction the stairway moves, the said segments being composed of hollow side pieces secured together, open at 4 the upper end, and having ribs near said upper end, and tread-pieces held in place and supported thereon, substantially for the purpose set forth.

20. In a stairvator and in combination with the endless flight of steps, a landing coming the endless chain of steps, substantially 1o prising bars spaced apart, hollow and open for the purpose set forth.

at their upper sides, and tread-pieces made In testimony whereof I afiix my signature of suitable material fitted into said open sides in presence of two witnesses.

5 substantially for the purpose set forth. 1

21. In a stairvator having a framework, EDWIN BALTZLEY' i landings, and an endless flight of steps, and Witnessesz means for operating the same, a plurality of WM. J. WALSH, endless chains and sprocket-wheels for driv- DAVID GRANT. 

